SA government to demarche US embassy official over Trump ‘shithole’ countries remarks, says Dirco

The United States charges de affaires in South Africa will be called to explain President Donald Trump’s statement apparently denigrating African and other countries, the international relations and co-operation department (Dirco) said on Sunday.

The department would on Monday demarche the US charges de affaires – the second in charge – of the embassy in Pretoria following the “recent disturbing comments attributed to President Donald Trump”, spokesman Clayson Monyela said.

“The department will provide an opportunity to the charges de affaires to explain the statement that African countries, alongside Haiti and El Salvador, constitute ‘shitholes’ from where migrants into the United States are undesirable,” he said.

The department had noted Trump’s tweet on Friday in which he denied making the crude and offensive statement. The department had noted further that Trump’s denial was not categorical, referring only to Haiti and not addressing the entirety of the statement attributed to him.

“South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union and the Africa group of ambassadors to the United Nations in New York. Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora. Relations between South Africa and the United States, and between the rest of Africa and the United States, must be based on mutual respect and understanding,” Monyela said.
– African News Agency (ANA)